Packaged article



June 4, 1963 G. A. JAGGERS 3,092,251

PACKAGED ARTICLE Filed May 1, 1961 lign INVENTORl George A. Jaggers BY 2m J W LTORNEY United States Patent O 3,092,251 PACKAGE!) ARTICLE George A. Jaggers, Fort Worth, Tex., assigner to Mayfair Industries, Inc., Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed May 1, 1961, Ser. No. 106,843 2 Claims. (Cl. 20S-63.2)

rIhis invention relates to packaged articles and, more particularly, to an elongated packaged article such as a vaginal tampon applicator. 'Ihe invention is especially concerned -with the provision of tear strips for opening the Wrapper enclosing the article.

Tampon applicators are usually enclosed each in a sealed iwrapper of paper, cellophane, or the like. A longitudinal tear strip may lbe provided for opening the wrapper. With such an arrangement, it is lpossible that the user, in trying to open the wrapper, will simply tear off a corner of the -wrapper on the side opposite to the tear strip, thus damaging the wrapper and failing to open it along the line of the tear strip.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an article having a Wrapper with a tear strip arrangement which insures proper opening of the wrapper.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article wrapper that can be opened manually fwith ease and assurance on the rst try.

A further object is to provide such a -wrapper that is inexpensive and easily applied to an article to be enclosed therein, that gives good protection to the contents, and that may be readily opened by the average person.

'Ihe foregoing and other aims, objects, and advantages of the invention are realized in a rwrapped package including a narrow, elongated article, a generally tubular, longitudinally tearable wrapper enclosing `the article, and a pair of tear strips adjacent to and extending substantially throughout the length of the wrapper, the tear strips being disposed one on each side of the Wrapper. The tear strips preferably are inside the wrapper with the ends of the tear strips being sealed in the end closures of the wrapper.

The invention will be described with greater particularity, and further objects and advantages thereof will be pointed out, in the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective View of a tampon applicator having a wrapper in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the tampon applicator within the wrapper tube prior to closing the ends of the tube;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the wrapped tampon applicator of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the wrapped tampon applicator;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a similarly enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown :a tampon applicator having the usual tampon tube 10 into the rear end of which is slidably received a plunger tube 11. A tampon, indicated at 12 in FIG. 5, is received in the front end of the tube 10 opposite the end in which the plunger is tted. A string 13, which may be double-ended, is secured to the rear end of the tampon and extends from the rear end 14 of the plunger tube, the ends of the string being laid forwardly along the outside of the plunger tube. This assembly constitutes an ordinary tampon applicator well known in the art and is exemplary of a narrow, elongated object contained within the wrap- Mice per of the invention, the Iwrapper being designated by the general reference numeral 15.

Adverting to FIGS. 2 land 5, the tampon applicator 10, -11 is seen enclosed in a tube 16 formed from a strip of flexible, tearable, preferably transparent wrapping material such as paper, cellophane, glassine, synthe-tic resin sheeting, plastic strip or a similar material. The strip of wrapping material extends longitudinally of the tampon applicator, is wrapped circumferentially therearound, and is seamed longitudinally at 17. The seam is lapped and, if desired, it may be sealed by an adhesive composition or, if the nature of the wrapper material so admits, the lapped seam may be heat-sealed. Alternatively, the tube 116 may be of the seamless type.

On opposite sides of the wrapper tube, tear strips 18 and 19 are located. The tear strips extend longitudinally and coextensively of the wrapper tube and, preferably, they are not diametrically opposed but are slightly above the horizontal diameter `as seen in FIG. 5, this for reasons to be explained hereinafter. However, the tear strips may be diametrically opposed, if desired. The tear strips are suitably adhered to the inside of the wrapper tube as by means of an ladhesive composition or by being heat sealed to the material of the tube. Or the tear strips may merely Ibe located inside and adjacent to the tube without being joined to it. These tear strips preferably are made of tougher material than the material of the wrapper. The tear strips may :be colored so that they are easily seen by the user.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the completed Iwrapper has end closures 2t) and 21. These are formed by pressing together and sealing the ends of the wrapper tube and thereafter cutting the sealed tube ends. The end cuts or terminal edges 22 are serrated to facilitate tearing the end of the wrapper in opening the package.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, it is seen that the ends of the tear strips 18 and 19 extend through the end closures along the sides thereof and are spaced slightly inwardly from the sides. As noted hereinbefore, the tear strips are not diametrically opposed but are odset so that when the end closures of the wrapper are formed along the horizontal diameter of the tube as seen in FIG. 5, the tear strips will not be folded in the side edges of the end closures but will lie flat and be spaced slightly inwardly from the edges. This arrangement insures a substantially flat end closure. It also improves the tearing action of the strips 'when -the package is opened. This arrangement further enables both tear strips to be plainly seen from the top of the package, as is evident from FIG. 4.

To open the package, the user grasps one of the end closures between the thumbs and foreiingers of the right and left hands at opposite sides of the end closure. The righthand lingers pinch the end of one of the tear strips and the lefthand lingers pinch the end of the other tear strip. A tear is lmade in the end closure. The tear starts at the bottom of one of the serrations between the tear strips and progresses inwardly and generally longitudi- -nally along the end closure. When the tear reaches the tubular part of the wrapper, it deviates to one side or the `other of the Wrapper, depending upon minute variations in the strength of the wrapper material and the way in which the tearing forces are applied. The tear then progresses to that tear strip toward which the tear has de- Viated. Further tearing action opens the wrapper longitudinally along the line of that tear strip. The other tear strip does not function to tear its side of the wrapper.

With the present invention, it is immaterial toward which side of the wrapper the tear deviates. The provision of tear strips on both sides of `the package assures that one tear strip will function regardless of the direction of deviation of the tear. If but -a single tear strip is used, as heretofore, and the tear should progress to the side of the wrapper Vwithout the tear strip, the result would be merely the tearing o of a corner of the wrapper without opening the wrapper throughout its length. The chances are even that this undesired result will occur with but lone tear strip; hence, the advantages of employing two tear strips, as in the present invention, are clear.

I claim: 1. A wrapped package comprising: (a) anarrow, elongated, generally cylindrical article; (b) a generally cylindrical, longitudinally tearable Wrapper enclosing said article, the ends of said wrapper extending beyond the ends of said article, each end of said wrapper having diametrically opposed end-wall portions disposed substantially in Va singleV longitudinalV diametral plane to provide an end closure having a sharp crease along each later-al edge; Y (c) a pair of tear strips adjacent to the inner surface of said wrapper and extending entirely throughout the length thereof, said tear strips being disposed one on each side of said wrapper, those portions of the tear strips that are next to the sidewalls of said -article being adjacent to but slightly loffset from said diametral plane, the planes of said portions of said tear strips being disposed at substantial angles to said diametral plane, the ends of said tear strips being vsandwiched between the respective opposed end-wall portions of said wrapper, lying substantially in said vdiametral plane, and being adjacent to the lateral edges of said end closures; and (d) means ladhesively sealing the opposed end-wall portions of the respective ends of the wrapper to each other and to the ends of the tear strips therebetween whereby a user may open the package by grasping one of the lateral edge portions of one of said end closures between the thumb and forefinger of one hand and the other of the lateral edge portions of said one end closure between the thumb and foretinger of the other hand with the ends of the tear strips between said fingers of the respective hands, longitudinally tearing said one end closure between the ends of said tear strips, and completing the open- 2. A Wrapped package comprising:

(a) a narrow, elongated, generally cylindrical article;

(b) a generally cylindrical, longitudinally tearable Wrapper enclosing said article, the ends rof said wrapper extending beyond the ends of said article, each end of said Wrapper having diametrically opposed endwall portions disposed substantially in a single longitudinal diametral plane to provide an end closure having a sharp -crease along each lateral edge, the terminal edge of each end closure having serrations therein;

(c) a pair of tear strips adjacent to the inner surface of said wrapper and extending entirely throughout the length thereof, said tear strips being Adisposed one on each side of said wrapper, those portions of the tear strips that are next lto the sidewalls of said article being -adjacent'to but slightly offset from -said diametral plane, the planes of said portions of said tear strips being disposed at substantial angles to said diametral plane, the ends of said tear strips being sandwiched between the respective opposed end-wall portions of said wrapper, llying substantially in said diametral plane, and being adjacent to the lateral edges of said end closure; and

(d) means adhesively sealing the opposed end wall portions of the respective ends of the wrapper to each other and to the ends of the tear strips therebetween, whereby a user may open the package by grasping Y one of the lateral edge portions of one of said end closures between the thumb and foren-ger of one hand and the other of the lateral edge portions of said one end closure between the thumb and fore- Vfinger of the other hand with the ends of the tear strips between said lingers of the respective hands, longitudinally tearing said one end closure between the ends of said tear strips, and completing the opening of the package by ripping one of said tear strips through one side of said wrapper, the other of said tear strips reinforcing the other side of said one end closure to prevent severance of the grasped portion thereof from the wrapper.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED .STATES PATENTS ing of the package by ripping one 0f Said tear Strips 45 72,106,475 Brandwein 12111.25 193s through one side of said wrappentthe other of said 2,166,171 McBean July 18,s 1939 tear strips reinforcing the other side of said one end 2,340,774 Snyder Feb. '1, 1944 closure to prevent severance of the grasped portion 2,790,594 Hultkrans et al. Apr. 30, 1957 thereof from the wrapper. 2,902,146 Doherty Sept. ll, 1959 

1. A WRAPPED PACKAGE COMPRISING: (A) A NARROW, ELONGATED, GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL ARTICLE; (B) A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL, LONGITUDINALLY TEARABLE WRAPPER ENCLOSING SAID ARTICLE, THE ENDS OF SAID WRAPPER EXTENDING BEYOND THE ENDS OF SAID ARTICLE, EACH END OF SAID WRAPPER HAVING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED END-WALL PORTIONS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY IN A SINGLE LONGITUDINAL DIAMETRAL PLANE TO PROVIDE AN END CLOSURE HAVING A SHARP CREASE ALONG EACH LATERAL EDGE; (C) A PAIR OF TEAR STRIPS ADJACENT TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID WRAPPER AND EXTENDING ENTIRELY THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID TEAR STRIPS BEING DISPOSED ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SIDE WRAPPER, THOSE PORTIONS OF THE TEAR STRIPS THAT ARE NEXT TO THE SIDEWALLS OF SAID ARTICLE BEING ADJACENT TO BUT SLIGHTLY OFFSET FROM SAID DIAMETRAL PLANE, THE ENDS OF SAID TEAR STRIPS BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE OPPOSED END-WALL PORTIONS OF SAID WRAPPER, LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN SAID DIAMETRAL PLANE, AND BEING ADJACENT TO THE LATERAL EDGES OF SAID END CLOSURES; AND (D) MEANS ADHESIVELY SEALING THE OPPOSED END-WALL PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE WRAPPER TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE ENDS OF THE TEAR STRIPS THEREBETWEEN WHEREBY A USER MAY OPEN THE PACKAGE BY GRASPING ONE OF THE LATERAL EDGE PORTIONS OF ONE OF SAID END CLOSURES BETWEEN THE THUMB AND FOREFINGER OF ONE HAND AND THE OTHER OF THE LATERAL EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID ONE END CLOSURE BETWEEN THE THUMB AND FOREFINGER OF THE OTHER HAND WITH THE ENDS OF THE TEAR STRIPS BETWEEN SAID FINGERS OF THE RESPECTIVE HANDS, LONGITUDINALLY TEARING SAID ONE END CLOSURE BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID TEAR STRIPS, AND COMPLETING THE OPENING OF THE PACKAGE BY RIPPING ONE OF SAID TEAR STRIPS THROUGHT ONE SIDE OF SAID WRAPPER, THE OTHER OF SAID TEAR STRIPS REINFORCING THE OTHER SAID ONE END CLOSURE TO PREVENT SEVERANCE OF THE GRASPED PORTION THEREOF FROM THE WRAPPER. 